BREAK IN

[Guest JohnInNH]

This link goes into detail on the best way to break in your new or rebuilt motor.

 

Break in Facts Link

 

Lots of good information with pictures of pistons to prove the point that a long easy break in is BAD for your bike.

 

The break in recommendation by Cummins for the big diesel's is to work the motor HARD. Tow heavy weight up steep hills (at high RPM) as it's the only way to create the heat to seat the rings. Babying a new diesel will KILL it.

 

Just make sure you have a safe place to do this with your bike!

[Guest Jaap]

That's some reading you've directed us to! This Cummins guy maybe has a point. Very interesting, even for a non-techie like me. But still, I find it strange that in the more than 100 years that combustion engines are on this planet, nobody has had the same insight.

 

I'm glad my Le Mans has already 3k+ km's. I don't have to worry about how to break in anymore...

[al_roethlisberger]

Actually there are indeed a couple different schools of thought on engine break-in, and most of the engine builders subscribe to the more aggessive of the two and focus on "heat cycles".

 

Generally manufacturers have two issues that drive the much more conservative prescriptions as found in the owner's manual:

 

- The tolerances of their mass-produced engine components are not terribly "close" in each engine, as opposed to a purpose-built engine. So the break-in may take longer, otherwise exposing the engine components to "hot spots" during operation.

 

- Manufacterers tend to be much more conservative than necessary to try to avoid warrantee issues. Sometimes this sacrifices the ultimate performance of the engine, but protects them from premature failures of an overaggressive break-in routine.

 

Some links:

 

http://www.angelfire.com/ia/z/FZ1breakin.htm (almost bought an FZ1)

 

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

 

http://www.seansa4page.com/resource/breakin.html

 

...and of course, there are more... just do a google search.

 

 

Anyway, I'm somewhere in the middle. If you read between the lines, most of these folks recommend not revving beyond the prescribed RPM for an "extended period of time" while occassionally revving higher. That's where I tend to apply my break-in.

 

Right now I have 700 miles on the bike, and I generally keep it between 3-5k RPM, and every so often zip up a little past 6k, but only for a moment. I may have touched 7k once or twice because I wasn't paying attention, but I don't think that will matter. I'll have the bike in for it's first scheduled service(versus the gasket blowout the other week) in a week or so, then I can ride a little faster.

 

Of course, "your mileage may vary" ... so choose whatever method you feel most comfortable with. Hopefully these links just offered a little more info for you to consider and digest

 

al

[Guest JohnInNH]

That's some reading you've directed us to! This Cummins guy maybe has a point.

Jaap,

 

Cummins is a company that makes motors for trucks, buses, boats, etc.

 

Cummins Inc.

 

I have the 12 valve B5.9 set at 300 HP and 600 ft lbs of torque in my Dodge Pick-Up. I get 20 mpg at 70 MPH

 

Pretty pictures of inside the ISP B series motor

 

Blue Chip Diesel

[al_roethlisberger]

... I wonder if that will fit in a V11 Spine Frame?

[Guest Jaap]

Hi John, I read the Mototuneusa.com article and thought the guy on the picture was "that Cummins guy". I now understand that Cummins has nothing to do with that article. Stupid me...

 

I wonder if I can make up an excuse that my English isn't up to scratch... no that won't work either, so again: stupid me. But still fascinating reading.

Thanks. I stand corrected

[Guest Jaap]

Now that I come to think of it: Even more stupid me :wacko:

I used to work at a agricultural machinery parts wholesaler and guess what we sold: Cummins engine parts...

 

Man, I need vitamines, lots of them and quick!!! My brain is rotting away just as quick as the black engine paint comes of my Le Mans...

[Guest v11eric]

Hey folks ever wonderd what the 6km on the counter of our brandnew bikes means? All the bikes get tested, on the roof of the factory is an oval testtrack with cracks in the tarmac and plants growing out of it. Aside the track is a concreed wall, and in the middel factory buildings. Our brand new bike's get started, whinggeled a bit warm and than they leave whit a big wheely (even with Jackals and cali's), they break as hard as possible, and drive the track at madness speeds. After a few turns they come in to the test bench, ant the bike is tested for full power, and topspeed. This test bench are two rolls and they drive up to it and start testing rightaway, balancing the bike, when testing is finnissht the testdrivers jump into the steps and the bike leaves whit a rubbermark of 2meters. After this torture the bike is inspected from outside, and goes left for ok, or right for repair and testing again. Has youre bike 12km on the counter now you know why!!

 

ps

there is no oil chanch befor delivery

 

Drive whit A smile

 

Eric 01 v11 Lemans

[al_roethlisberger]

Is this really true?!

 

YIKES... I wonder how many they wreck that way <_>

 

Interesting though... So I guess they get that first few minutes of "critical break-in" done for us idiots!

 

 

al

[Guest dkgross]

WOW. Now..this is some interesting reading!!! I should be picking up my LeMans towards the end of next week..and was just wondering about breaking it in...My brother (and a few others I know of) subscribe to the 'drive it like you stole it" break-in theory.

 

Others say take it easy and don't exceede the 5000rpm limit. My instinct tells me not to abuse it for the first 100 miles, but also not to baby it. And definetly change the oil within that first 100 miles.

 

So..you guys have the bike. Tell me how to break it in, oh wise and wonderful wizards

 

[Guest Buck]

  WOW.  Now..this is some interesting reading!!!  I should be picking up my LeMans towards the end of next week..and was just wondering about breaking it in...My brother (and a few others I know of) subscribe to the 'drive it like you stole it" break-in theory.  

 

Others say take it easy and don't exceede the 5000rpm limit.  My instinct tells me not to abuse it for the first 100 miles, but also not to baby it.  And definetly change the oil within that first 100 miles.

 

So..you guys have the bike.   Tell me how to break it in, oh wise and wonderful wizards

 

I followed the factory recommendations on my '02 lemans. Under 5000 RPM for the first 600 miles, under 6000 RPM for the next 600 miles, then gradually increase max RPM over the next 1200 miles. I increased by 500 RPM every 400 miles.

 

I don't believe in "babying" an engine to break it in as it does need to be loaded and heat-cycled, but I also think there is no benefit to revving an engine to the moon any more than necessary when it's still fresh. The gradual increase of max RPM makes sense, allowing the rings to break into new cylinder wall area on a more gradual basis.

 

Every time I built an engine (20 years as an auto tech) I would accelerate to near redline (5000-6000 RPM) in 2nd gear, then allow engine braking to slow the car to near idle. I would do this process three times to aid in ring seating, then when the customer took the car I would advise them to break in the engine as described in the owners manual. I never had an engine I built fail, but I did that kind of work for enough years to see what the effects were from overly-aggressive break in and abuse. There were only a few that I could say were definitely treated that badly, and every one of them seemed to run a little rougher as well as use some oil. That's no surprise, I guess. If the rings get overheated (surface melting) or cylinders get scored from excess heat and cylinder pressure very early in their life cycle they are going to pass some oil.

 

The first 100 miles are pretty critical, the next 100 miles still near critical. After that it doesn't matter as much if you "over-rev" a little bit, but keep in mind that engines don't incur damage because you followed the factory recommended break-in procedure. They do sometimes incur damage if you don't follow the factory recommendations. Just don't get too carried away. It's a lot more difficult to obey these recommendations on the Lemans than it was on your RT. The Guzzi engine likes to rev, and it sounds great!

 

Enjoy the new bike!

[RichMaund]

I agree with Buck on this. I followed the factory rpm limits and recomendations. But once free to rev beyond 5k rpm, I did so frequently in short bursts to load and then unload the engine. No sustained high rpm stuff. Just sprints, which was much fun! By 3K miles, the bike felt really good and had smoothed out considerably. By 7K miles, it was great! It rev's freely and smoothly. Just a great example of how good a Guzzi engine can be. Couple it to a new 6 speed transmission and now with the PCIII in it, it is simply the best of a dozen Guzzi's I have owned over the years. No comparison. This V11S is just the best all-around Guzzi bike I have ever owned.

By next month I'll have the wheels off for red powdercoating and new tires. I'll change the fork fluid and it'll be all set for Spring. Getting it done by Feb. will just be a perk!

I have read a number of folks complaining of high oil consumption in new Beemers. It was often found that the rings hadn't seated, even after a few thousand miles! TOO gentle break-ins were to blame. These nigusil coated cylinders are tough! So I have to agree that a thoughtful and mildly agressive break-in are the way to go.

[Guest dkgross]

"Thoughtful and mildly agressive". Yup..Sounds good to me. Stick to the recommended break-in, load it up for a sprint or two once in a while.

 

I followed the BMW break-in to the letter, and it drank oil like it was water. Go figure.

 

thanks for the recommendations!

[dlaing]

for what its worth, I did a no-no and rather than taking the new bike home 300 miles in truck, I decided to do a little touring home to San Diego from Fresno. I was very careful to vary my speed and not lug the engine.

It was embarassing going along at 40-55 mph and getting passed by RVs....

I followed the manufacturors rev limitation almost religiously with a momentary 300rpms over, every now and then. I tried to rev over the break in limits when going down hill with little or no load.

So for the first 300 miles it got little heat cycling.

The next 2000 miles got a fair amount of heat cycling because most of the miles were a 14 mile commute.

I have gotten well ahead of schedule on oil changes. After the factory oil was changed at 800 miles, I have been using semi-synthetic motorcycle oil the whole time.

The end result is that I appear to burn NO oil. Is it the fastest V11, not likely. It seems to only want to go about 130 mph. If I ever get aftermarket cans and modify the intake, I hope to pull redline at about the indicated 140mph.

It did take about 10,000 miles to really feel broken in. And I am sure in 50000 miles it will feel even better.

PS If I were to break it in again, I would do it the hard way as suggested by motoman or whatever he is called. However I would be cautious not to lug it, and pay attention that our bikes don't rev as high as the Japanese bikes, and after the first couple of cycles, revert back to the factory recommended. Following Bucks recommendations probably would have given me a bike with more power and a shorter break in time.

[evoluzione]

my two cents - we tested the break-in theorys ourselves. we bought two brand new bimota sb6r (one for me, one for a customer) and then broke in mine on the dyno (zero miles, fully broken-in). our customer wasn't convinced so he followed the factory recommendations exactly.

 

results:

 

my bike (dyno break-in): 132 h.p.

customer's bike (convertional break-in): 125 h.p.

 

another interesting point is that my bike is much "crisper" in throttle response and has a smoother idle.

 

as to guzzi's, i also broke in our le mans on the dyno and it runs very strong & smooth.

 

 

regards,

 

ken zeller

evoluzione cyclesports